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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25372591">just let me love you</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/anisstaranise/pseuds/anisstaranise'>anisstaranise</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Glee</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Asthma, Falling In Love, Friends With Benefits, Illnesses, Love Confessions, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Marriage of Convenience</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 10:02:25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,820</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25372591</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/anisstaranise/pseuds/anisstaranise</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sebastian proposes marriage to share his health insurance benefits with Blaine.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Blaine Anderson/Sebastian Smythe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>107</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Seblaine Week 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>just let me love you</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Written for Seblaine Week 2020. Day 7: Friends with Benefits.</p><p>Title from BTS' <i>Serendipity</i> which also served as the soundtrack as I wrote this.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  
</p><p>“Marry me.”</p><p>Blaine almost drops his now empty inhaler, his chest still burning from the asthma attack a moment ago.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“You heard me,” Sebastian says nonchalantly as if he’s talking about the weather and not a marriage proposal. “Marry me.”</p><p>There’s a buzzing in Blaine’s head. “Why?”</p><p>Sebastian rolls his eyes. “Because you don’t have insurance. Because you need your meds, and your inhalers and your nebulizers-”</p><p>His brain is sluggish and it spins more as he tries to make sense of what Sebastian is actually saying. And he tells his friend as much.</p><p>“I work at one of the most reputable family law firms in New York. I have a great healthcare plan that would also cover my spouse,” Sebastian explains slowly like he’s talking to a curious child. “So, marry me and you won’t have to worry about your monthly expenses for your asthma anymore.”</p><p>“Oh,” is the only thing Blaine says, turning over Sebastian’s proposal in his mind.</p><p>He’s already working two jobs to make ends meet. There’s rent and bills to pay. And paying back student loans. He’s stretched thin financially as it is. To top things off, costs of his asthma treatments are abysmal without health insurance. Who knew at the ripe age of 28 he’d be swimming in debt and living from paycheck to paycheck.</p><p>But to marry Sebastian for health care benefits? That’s absurd. They were friends, close friends even after Nick and Jeff had introduced them back in college, but to marry?</p><p>Blaine chuckles.</p><p>“I’m not kidding, Blaine,” Sebastian says as he sits next to him on the couch. “Think of it as being friends with benefits.”</p><p>Blaine laughs heartily this time. “I don’t think that’s what friends with benefits mean, Sebastian.”</p><p>“But it could be.”</p><p>He turns to regard his friend. For the first time, Blaine sees just how serious Sebastian is.</p><p>“I can’t ask you to do that,” he says.</p><p>“But I’m the one asking,” comes Sebastian’s retort. “Please, Blaine. Your attacks are getting worse. Your trip to the ER last week almost gave me a heart attack.”</p><p>Blaine is stunned by the admission. He didn’t realize just how much Sebastian worried, how much he cared. He can feel his cheeks flushing at that, his chest glowing warmly now that its calmer post-asthma attack.</p><p>“Wouldn’t it be considered insurance fraud?” he asks. He cannot believe he’s actually humouring this ridiculous idea.</p><p>“Not if we sell it right,” Sebastian replies with a wink.</p><p>“You’re a lawyer who practices law!”</p><p>“Which means I’ll know which laws we’ll actually be breaking and which ones we won’t,” his friend counters.</p><p>Blaine laughs again. Sebastian can always make him laugh.</p><p>Then, his friend slowly takes his hand, clasping them tight.</p><p>“Please, Blaine,” Sebastian begs. “Trust me. Let’s get married. Let me help you.”</p><p>Blaine feels the air rush out of his lungs. His breath catches in his chest; an entirely different sensation than an onset of an asthma attack. It’s pleasant, this one.</p><p>In that split second between an inhale, and an exhale, he makes his decision.</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>---</p><p>It takes about a month to get everything organized.</p><p>Both he and Sebastian fill up countless forms to apply for a marriage certificate. They make an appointment with the Marriage Bureau at City Hall to be married before the assigned city clerk. They get a date for a Thursday in the third week of September.</p><p>On their wedding day, he fidgets with the black silk bow tie fastened at his throat. He had put on his favourite black trousers, the folds pressed to perfection and a favourite dark blue button down.</p><p>“You’re crazy for doing this, kid,” his brother, Cooper exclaims as he reaches out to straighten his bow tie.</p><p>He slaps his brother’s hand away. Cooper yelps indignantly but his expression is soft, loving.</p><p>“But I’m glad someone is taking care of you in ways I can’t.”</p><p>His chest flutters at his brother’s words. He can feel Cooper’s love draping over him like a warm cloak. His parents had refused to attend- and he sincerely can’t care less for their excuses. As long as he has Cooper, he’ll be alright.</p><p>Just then, Sebastian arrives, flanked by Nick and Jeff. He’s dressed in an immaculate charcoal gray three-piece suit that made Blaine’s mouth water. He shakes his head to clear the impure thoughts that're forming fast in his mind’s eye. This is the man he’s about to marry out of convenience, for health insurance. He can’t possibly be having those kinds of thoughts about-</p><p>Then it hits him, impacting like a freight train; he’s about to marry Sebastian Smythe.</p><p>“Your future husband looks amazing. Wouldn’t that be distracting for you?” Cooper teases.</p><p>“Shut up, Cooper.” But there’s no heat to his words. Much to his dismay, Blaine’s actually blushing at the sight of Sebastian, heart fluttering excitedly. </p><p>He’s about to marry Sebastian Smythe.</p><p>“Anderson-Smythe wedding party,” a clerk announces at the door and they all move inside the chamber.</p><p>Everything moves swiftly. They sign the necessary documents, witnessed by the clerks and the officiant. They forgo their vows but they do exchange rings. The brushed tungsten band that Sebastian slips onto his finger feels wonderful, like a puzzle piece slotting perfectly into place. And he can’t help but note how attractive the twin wedding band looks on his husband.</p><p>Oh god, his <em> husband </em>.</p><p>They kiss to seal their marriage when the city clerk pronounces them husbands. Blaine is grateful to Sebastian for even proposing the union to help him out financially, for going through with it. He conveys just how grateful he is in his kiss, pressing his lips ardently against Sebastian’s. He hears Sebastian inhale sharply when he chances a quick lick into his husband’s mouth.</p><p>When they break apart, there’s a dreamy look on Sebastian’s face. He flushes, ignoring the whoops of their friends, his brother. Jeff tosses rice above them.</p><p>Sebastian kisses him again, unprompted. </p><p>“Let’s get out of here, husband,” he whispers. Blaine happily agrees.</p><p>---</p><p>The insurance card arrives six weeks into their marriage. Sebastian had made the necessary arrangements with his company, filling more forms to declare that he’s married, that Blaine is his legal married spouse. His colleagues threw them a small celebratory dinner at the office the weekend after their wedding. A potluck, to be exact. </p><p>Blaine beams whenever Sebastian introduces him as “my husband, Blaine.”</p><p>What had begun as an absurd proposal to exploit a friends-with-insurance-benefits situation is turning out to be a rather wonderful, happy affair.</p><p>However, he still lives in his apartment in Brooklyn. And Sebastian still lives in Manhattan. They talk on the phone almost every day, have dinner together every weekend. He’ll seize every opportunity in between his two jobs to see Sebastian.</p><p>He’s healthier than he’s been in a long time. He’s happy. And he’s irrevocably in love with his husband.</p><p>But Blaine says nothing, sure that this marriage is just Sebastian being a good friend. A great friend. Friends with benefits.<em> Married </em> friends with benefits. He doesn’t want to chance making things awkward, complicated by professing his feelings for his husband.</p><p>Then, three months into their marriage, Blaine suffers one of the worst asthma attacks yet. His office is having some renovations done. The dust and debris floating around on top of the stress of meeting back-to-back project deadlines take its toll on him. </p><p>He’s been coughing all morning when suddenly, his chest seizes, throat tightening. He gasps for air that doesn’t quite reach his lungs. He tries to relax, running through all the breathing exercises he’s learnt since he was a kid as he rummages through his work bag for his inhaler. It’s not there. Panicking, he tips all the contents onto the floor. His inhaler is nowhere to be found. He must’ve left it at home by accident. </p><p>He frantically grabs his phone, the panic making his attack worse by the second. He dials Sebastian.</p><p>But before the line connects, his vision darkens. The last thing he remembers is falling.</p><p>---</p><p>The beeping of the monitors echoes in his head as he slowly regains consciousness. Scratchy sheets beneath him. Blinding fluorescent lights above. Blaine groans as his mind makes the connection; he’s in the hospital. Again.</p><p>A warm hand slips into his.</p><p>“You’re awake.”</p><p>He turns to find Sebastian sitting close to his bed in one of those uncomfortable plastic chairs, brows creased with worry. But there’s a small smile on his lips. It makes Blaine so happy to see him.</p><p>“Hey,” he greets his husband.</p><p>“Hey yourself, idiot.”</p><p>Blaine blanches. But before he can come up with a retort, Sebastian cuts him off. </p><p>“You left your inhaler, the one thing you should never be without, at home. You’re lucky I was already near your office when you called.”</p><p>His brain halts a moment. <em> Already near your office </em>.</p><p>“What were you doing near my office?”</p><p>Sebastian’s cheeks colour slightly. “I wanted to surprise you with lunch. Bought those truffle macaroni and cheese you like so much.”</p><p>“You did?”</p><p>“Yeah. When you didn’t respond when I answered the phone, I rushed over,” Sebastian recalls. “You passed out from your asthma attack. One of your colleagues- Sam Evans, drove us to the hospital.”</p><p>He closes his eyes, gratitude blooming within. For Sam Evans. For Sebastian.</p><p>“Thank you,” he breathes, slowly opening his eyes.</p><p>He finds Sebastian looking at him sadly.</p><p>“What’s wrong?” Blaine asks.</p><p>“I don’t think I’ve ever felt that kind of fear before,” Sebastian says as he clasps both his hands on Blaine’s. “Seeing you like that, I was so scared, Blaine.”</p><p>His heart stutters. Sebastian brings his hand to his lips and presses a chaste kiss.</p><p>“I don’t think I can live without you.”</p><p>Blaine sucks in a breath. The confession was a pleasant gut-punch. Months of loving Sebastian quietly, he never once thought his husband reciprocated those feelings, so assured that Sebastian is only in this marriage to help him.</p><p>Friends with benefits, he’d said once.</p><p>But now-</p><p>“Come here,” Blaine says, gently tugging Sebastian out of his seat.</p><p>His husband moves obligingly and hovers above him patiently. Blaine reaches to run his fingers through Sebastian’s hair. He’s so pleased to find his husband melting into the touch.</p><p>“I should have told you sooner,” he says, fingers continuously carding Sebastian’s hair. “I should have told you much sooner that I love you.”</p><p>He hears the stutter in Sebastian’s breathing.</p><p>“I love you,” he says again, because he’s braver now.</p><p>Sebastian smiles, then leans down to kiss him. The nasal cannula makes it impossible to properly kiss his husband, to kiss him the way he wants to. But he perseveres.</p><p>“Move in with me,” Sebastian finally says when they break apart. “Stay with me. Be my husband in every sense of the word.”</p><p>Blaine smiles up at Sebastian before pulling him back down, kissing his husband in answer. </p><p><em> Yes </em>.</p><p> </p><p>--- END.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Apologies for the prompt adjacent fic bcs I don't know how to write smut lol.<br/>Thank you for reading.<br/>Comments welcomed.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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